Rockies’ Freeland looks to regain ace form of last season; game rained out

The tarp covers the field before a scheduled baseball game between the San Francisco Giants and the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

DENVER | On the eve of his next start, Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland was looking to regain his past form.

Freeland (2-5) was slated to start for Colorado on Thursday against the San Francisco Giants after coming off a tough outing last Saturday in which he went six innings against Arizona. He allowed a career-high eight runs on nine hits, including three home runs, the most he had allowed in a game. He has lost five of six outings since winning the team’s season opener in Miami.

The rough start is in sharp contrast to the year he fashioned last season, when he went 17-7 with a 2.85 ERA.

Rockies manager Bud Black said before Wednesday’s rainout of Game 2 in the Giants-Rockies series that Freeland’s problems this season stem primarily from location issues and difficulty finding the proper release point to keep his pitches in the low zone.

“There’s nothing magical to getting it back,” said Black, a former major league pitcher. “You just know that you’ve done it before, and you’re very capable of doing it again.

“I think more than anything, his pitches have been up. He’s got to get the ball down. There’s a groundball component to his game that he’s not taking advantage of because the ball is elevated. Elevated pitches are a matter of release point. He’s got to get his release point consistent to a point where when he releases the ball the pitch is down.”

After the game Wednesday night was called before it began amid steady rainfall, the teams were scheduled to make it up on July 15 as part of a split doubleheader.

For their part, the Giants welcomed the postponement, with the team tweeting: “Thank you for postponing tonight’s game so we can watch the Warriors and San Jose Sharks” playoff games.

While Freeland and the rest of the Rockies — as well as the Giants — are looking forward to getting back on the field for the series finale on Thursday afternoon, the possibility of rain and snow are in the forecast.

If the game is played, the starting pitcher for San Francisco will be left-hander Derek Holland (1-4), who is coming off the injured list to make the start, his seventh of the season.

He had been bothered by a lingering bone bruise on his left index finger that he suffered in spring training while practicing bunting. He last pitched April 27, when he allowed a season-high six runs in five innings during a 6-4 loss to the New York Mets at Oracle Park.

EMOTIONAL RETURN

In a rare Instagram post that followed his sensational return to the big leagues after a yearlong absence, Giants outfielder Mac Williamson thanked his girlfriend, family and friends for all the support they gave him over the course of a difficult comeback.

Williamson homered and drove in four runs for the Giants in Tuesday night’s 14-4 win over the Rockies after being promoted from Triple-A Sacramento. His promising start with the Giants last year was derailed in late April 2018, when he tripped over a bullpen mound and hit his head on the adjacent padded railing, suffering a concussion that caused him to miss much of the rest of the season.

Williamson wrote: “I know I don’t post much, and I don’t like to be the guy who has one good game and feels the need to post, but last night’s game was such a special moment for my family, my girlfriend Kaitlyn, my friends and especially for me. What happened last year and what I went through was nothing short of disappointing and frustrating. To be afforded another opportunity to do what I love at the highest level, and to actually have a meaningful impact on the game against a great Rockies club, was truly unbelievable. Thank you to everyone who has helped and encouraged me through everything these past 380 some odd days. Yesterday would not have been possible without all of you…thank you!!!”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rockies: LHP Chris Rusin is slated to pitch another inning Wednesday for Triple-A Albuquerque in his second rehab appearance as he works to come back from a mid-back strain that has sidelined him since March 27. … LHP Jake McGee is set to begin a rehab assignment Thursday with Albuquerque. McGee went on the 10-day injured list April 2 with a left knee sprain.

UP NEXT

Weather permitting, the Giants and Rockies are slated to wrap up their series on Thursday afternoon.